Page 51 of Liam

“I’m okay,” I assure, my voice breaking. “Please don’t worry.”

“I’m not worried.” He shakes his head, offering a sad smile. “I’mamazed. After everything you’ve been through… you’re a good kid, Addie.”

“Yeah, well, I was raised by the best.”

He looks away the moment tears form in his eyes, and I move closer again, nestle into the crook of his arm. For a long moment, we sit in silence… until his phone rings. I reach for it before he can, check who’s calling, then hold it behind my back. “Who’s Heidi?”

He raises his chin, his tough-guy facade back in action. “A friend,” he deadpans, hand out, palm up, fingers waving for his phone back.

I only grip it tighter. “A friend?” I tease. I peer at the screen again, but refuse to give it to him. “One, if you’re more than friends, you’re batting way above your average. And two, friends don’t have pictures of them together as their caller ID.”

He tries to reach for the phone, but I stand, move a few steps away. “I didn’t do that. She did.”

I inspect the screen closer now that it’s out of his reach. The call is still ringing; the picture taking up the entire display. “Is she naked in this?”

“No.”

“Areyounaked in this?”

“No! Give it here.”

I can’t see my face, but I’m sure Roman picks up on my shit-eating grin, right before I hit answer and put it on speaker. I don’t say a word. Roman doesn’t either. Though he looks like he might jump off the tiny balcony off of the living room any second.

“Damn, took you long enough to answer,” the smooth, feminine voice says on the other end.

“Yeah, sorry,” Roman yells, getting to his feet. I run away, giggling like the mischievous little brat I’m being. “My sister is being… a sister.”

“Hi, Addie!” Heidi calls, and I raise my eyebrows at Roman, now standing a few feet away, hands on his hips, head lowered and shaking.

“Hello,Heidi,” I coo. “I have a very pressing question…”

Roman keeps his head down, but his eyes lift, narrow to a glare.

“How many times have you been naked with my brother?”

Roman charges for me before I can stop him, taking the phone from my grasp as I lose it in a fit of laughter. He holds the phone to his ear as he makes his way to the balcony, then slides the door closed between us. I’m still laughing, proud of myself. Then the door slides open again, and Roman sticks his head inside. “Before I forget, Tom asked us over for dinner tomorrow night.”

“Tom who?”

“Papa Preston.”

“Oh.”

Oh,no…

20

Addie

The first thought that grabs me when we pull up to the Preston house is that I’ve been here before. I can’t recall how, when, or why. I just can’t escape the familiarity that settles deep in my chest. I was happy here once; I’m sure of it. I was surrounded by red and blue streamers—a birthday party? Fourth of July, maybe? I could ask Roman, and I’m sure he’d know, but I don’t want him to know how fractured my memories are.

As soon as the front door opens, I’m met with Tom Preston, beaming down at me, his smile almost hidden by his beard. “Addie!” I’ve seen Tom before, but only through a screen. He sat between his twin sons while they rattled off random facts and events, and he had to guess which of the brothers they pertained to. He got every one of them right. “Roman’s told me so much about you!”

“I hope they’re all good things,” I say, my voice weak. Sweat pools at the base of my neck, and I hope he doesn’t pick up on how nervous I am. Or how annoyed I am that I’m even nervous at all. But… he’s Liam’sdad, and for reasons I’m not yet readyto admit, I want him tonothate me. Hence, why I’m clearly overdressed for the occasion.

Roman warned me I would be, but I didn’t listen to him.

I should have.

---